Chemistry
by Kathryn C. Gray
Summary: Collection of Rachel/Nico one-shots based on word prompts.
1. Ice Cream

_**Ice Cream**_

* * *

The first time Nico went out on a date with Rachel, they ate ice cream. It was summertime, so only the year-rounders were there. Asking Rachel took several pep talks with himself, long conversations with Percy, and tips from the Aphrodite girls. The latter didn't help much, though. Nico had no idea that asking a girl out would be so terrifying. Rachel said yes without hesitating, which was great. Amazing, even. They agreed to meet by that cozy coffee shop she often talked about.

Nico wore what he always did: black t-shirt, worn jeans, aviator jacket, and chucks. He sat by himself at a table, glancing at the wall clock every so often. He told himself not to worry; Rachel was known for running late. She arrived almost half an hour later, not that Nico minded. She waved shyly and sat at the table with him. Rachel started apologizing, but Nico was too distracted noticing little details. For example, her dress's shade of blue was nice. Her hair was up in its characteristic messy bun, but this time she had a hairclip. Nico also noticed that her nail polish was chipped, and that her cheeks looked rosy.

"-so, anyway, that's why I got here so late. Nico, are you even listening to me?" Rachel said, with a playful grin across her face. Nico laughed a little and shook his head.

"Sorry, Rach. Got distracted. It doesn't matter, really. That you got here late, I mean." Nico shrugged, and Rachel just rolled her eyes. The waitress arrived, introducing herself and handing them both some menus. Nico thought that her perkiness is annoying.

"What are we getting, monsieur?" Rachel asked. Nico ccame to the sudden realization that had no money. Just drachmas, and sadly these didn't buy meals. His eyebrows furrowed slightly. There was _no way_ that he was going to let Rachel pay for anything.

"Um, well, thing is…" Nico pursed his lips, looking away from Rachel's curious look. "I don't have much money on me. It's enough for eh, ice creams. Or something like that. And don't even offer to pay because I won't let you." Rachel's smile made Nico feel uncomfortable. It's the kind of smile grown-ups use to tell you that everything is going to be fine.

"Ice cream is fine. Really. I love ice cream. Who doesn't?" Nico sighed and called the waitress once again. They ordered their ice cream of preference. Nico learns that Rachel's favorite flavor is French Vanilla, and that she is allergic to nuts. Naturally, he makes a mental note of this. They made small talk for a couple of hours, talking about meaningless stuff at first and then moving to a deeper conversation. They talk about Rachel's awful parents for a while. Then about Nico's mom. It is a touchy subject, but Nico trusts Rachel so it's alright. Hours went by, but neither was keeping track of time. The waitress had to come and tell them that they were about to close. With a laugh, Rachel and Nico left the shop.

"I don't want to go back just yet," Rachel said, looking up at the stars.

"Me neither."

"C'mon, I've got an idea." Rachel grabbed Nico's hand and started to run. Nico tagged along, obviously, attempting to ignore the tingling sensation and the pesky butterflies. Rachel lead him to this park. He's walked by it, but he's never really been there. Rachel insisted on going by the swing set and Nico caved in, of course.

"This is nice," Nico said. The last time he played with swings felt like forever ago. Rachel nodded in agreement. Nico noticed that the loose strands of her hair bounce around her face, creating a halo of red. He then mentally slapped himself for such a sappy thought.

* * *

It was past midnight already. Rachel kept yawning but she insisted that she was not sleepy. Nico didn't believe her.

"Let's just go back to camp, Rach. You're sleepy. I can tell."

"I am not. Just tired."

"Precisely."

"It's midnight already. The harpies are going to devour us," Rachel said with a smug smile. Nico raised one eyebrow at her.

"Mr. D is going to devour us if we don't get our lovely asses back. Now."

"Oh, so you think my ass is lovely?" Rachel said, amusement written all over her face. Nico's eyes widened, not expecting Rachel's comeback. She bit her lip to suppress a smile; Nico could tell.

"Yeah, sure," He said. He just couldn't think of a witty reply.

"C'mon grumpy, let's go back then." Rachel shoved him lightly. Nico laughs, shoving her back. For a split second, Nico debated whether he should hold Rachel's hand or not. He decided against it. Nico stopped a cab, opening the door for Rachel. He figured it's the kind of thing you're supposed to do on a first date, or whatever this was. The ride to camp, or should he say Delphi Strawberry Service, was rather long. Nico kept drumming his fingers against the car seat.

"I had a nice time," Rachel said, all of a sudden.

"Really? So did I," Nico replied. Just then, Rachel's fingers brushed casually against Nico's hand. Nico expected her to say sorry and tuck her hand away, but she didn't. Her fingers lingered next to his for a while. Nico glanced sideways at her, but Rachel was just looking forward. Nico took a deep breath and laced his fingers with hers. He glanced sideways once again. This time, Rachel was looking at him. She was smiling, so Nico relaxed.

* * *

They finally arrived at camp, hands still intertwined. As expected, Nico walked Rachel to the Big House.

"Thanks for everything, Nico," She said. "I had fun."

"I'm glad you did," Nico replied. Rachel bit at her lip and looked down at her feet. Nico's palms started to get sweaty, causing him to curse mentally several times. He wondered why he was acting like such a little kid. Rachel let out a sigh before turning on her heels and walking towards the door.

"Rach, wait!" Nico called after her.

"Hmm?"

"I forgot something." Walking up to her, Nico decided to man up. He started leaning in, closing his eyes. He expected Rachel to turn her head away. She didn't. Their faces are about an inch apart.

"Oh. You're here. About time." Nico groaned, swearing he would murder whoever had interrupted them. He turned around and saw Percy carrying a flashlight. He looked like he could use some sleep. "I was supposed to make sure you got here safely and all…" Percy scratched his neck and smiled apologetically. Nico glared at him.

"I'm sorry we kept you up, Perce," Rachel said, grinning. "I'll see you tomorrow, Nico." Rachel then turned away, and walked inside. Nico started plotting possible ways of killing Percy Jackson.

"Nice, man. Smooth," Percy said, pointing the flashlight at Nico's face.

"Don't."

"What? I'm just trying to lighten up the mood," Percy said with a shrug.

"Start running." Percy looked confused at first, but as soon as he saw Nico's devious smirk, he started running as fast as he could "You're dead meat, Jackson!" Nico yelled. Percy just laughed.

Meanwhile, Rachel looked at the two boys from her window and smiled.

* * *

**Sorry in advance for any grammar mistakes. x**


	2. Beach

_**Beach**_

_**

* * *

**_

"Nico, just answer already. I swear I won't get mad if you say no," Rachel said, nudging Nico for the millionth time. Rachel's parents were doing their annual trip to the Hamptons. Usually, Rachel would've found this boring and would've refused to go, but this year she told her parents she'd go under one condition: if she could take Nico with her. Nico was still debating if he should go or not. If it was just the two of them, he'd say yes in a heartbeat. Sadly, it wasn't.

"It's not that I don't want to go, Rach. I do. But your parents will hate me," Nico replied, sticking his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. "Just picture it: Mr. and Mrs. Dare, silently judging me as I try to behave properly for _you_."

"Oh please, they'll love you," Rachel said, flashing a bright smile at Nico. Nico simply rolled his eyes at Rachel, trying not to give in. She started going on about how going to the Hamptons together was going to be awesome and whatnot. She started rambling at one point, so Nico waved his hand in front of her face.

"Rach, stop. Fine, I'll go. If your parents kill me, it's your fault. Are you sure you can live with that responsibility?" Nico said, smirking. Rachel grinned like mad and squeezed Nico. "Can't breathe here!"

"We're going to have so much fun!"

* * *

Fun was the last word Nico would've used to describe this situation. He was having breakfast with Rachel and her parents. They all chewed in silence; the only sound to be heard was the clanking of cutlery and glasses. Nico glanced at Rachel, but she was too busy glaring at her hors d'oeuvres.

Mrs. Dare was the one to break the silence.

"Ehem, so. Nico, is it?" Nico nodded. "Lovely. He's a cute one, eh Rachel?"

"Mom. Please." Rachel shot her mother a pleading look, which she waved away at one.

"What? He's got that bad boy vibe going on," Mrs. Dare says, winking at Nico. This made him feel extremely uncomfortable. Mr. Dare cleared his throat and proceeded to address Nico.

"Tell us, son, where do you attend school?" Mr. Dare asked.

"Eh, I don't." Nico looked at Rachel for reassurance but she just looked horrified. She shook her head slightly and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"What he means is that he's not attending school currently, dad. He's going to college. Soon. To…er, Brown," Rachel said, trying to cover up. Except that Nico had no idea what Brown was (other than a color), and he was sure Mr. Dare was going to start asking. Right on cue, he did.

"Oh! That's great. What are you majoring in, son?" Mr. Dare asked.

"Undeclared major, daddy. Though he's thinking on taking Modern Greek." Rachel talked so fast that her words were at but a slur. Her dad laughed a little, ruffling Rachel's hair.

"Rachel honey, let the kid talk," He laughed. "Modern Greek, huh? Interesting. Are you planning on living off that?" Mr. Dare raised his eyebrows slightly and Nico groaned. He knew where this conversation was heading. Mr. Dare was going to start asking him about money and the future, two topics that Nico absolutely hated talking about.

"Oh please, Robert. Give those two some space, will you?" Mrs. Dare said, interrupting her husband. "Why don't you go and freshen up? We're going to Elizabeth's brunch later on. Wear something nice."

"Brunch? Didn't we just eat breakfast?" Nico asked, clearly confused. Mr. and Mrs. Dare stared at him like they couldn't believe such words escaped his lips. Rachel massaged her temples while groaning. Nico was about to say anything but Rachel put a finger against her lips; the universal signal of shut-the-fuck-up.

"Will do, mom. Excuse us," Rachel said, standing up from the table and dragging Nico up to her room. Nico liked it. It was simple yet elegant. It was so unlike Rachel, it was kind of funny. He slumped on the bed while Rachel browsed through her clothes, tossing some of them around.

"I told you this was a bad idea."

"It's not. You just have to shut your pretty mouth and let me do the talking," Rachel said, winking at Nico. Nico rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at Rachel. She threw it right back and then continued tossing dresses out. "I hate all of these."

"Don't wear them, then."

"I have to wear _something_." Rachel took out a white dress with thin straps and little ruffles around the torso. Tiny roses were printed all over it. Nico thought she would look really dashing on it. "This one will do. At least it's decent."

"Sure, sure. You're just doing this so I can tell you that you look pretty, and you tell me you're not and then we have an endless argument about your beauty and all," Nico said with a smirk playing across his face.

"Actually, no. I do have self-esteem. Dignity too. I don't need your compliments," Rachel said as-a-matter-of-factly. "Now get ready or my mom will throw a hissy fit."

* * *

Brunch was not as bad as Nico expected. The food was delicious and he could make fun of the people, so everything was fine and dandy. He got to meet some of Rachel's friends, which were gawking at him. It was funny watching Rachel get upset. Some of the adults gave Nico glares. Maybe it was because he was violating the dress code or something. Either way, it was quite uncomfortable.

"Ah, Rachel! Hello there, sweetheart, you look lovely. And who is this young man?" The woman who spoke looked very regal. Something told Nico that she was the hostess. She kept looking up and down at him, furrowing her eyebrows. Nico rolled his eyes and walked away, ignoring Rachel when she called his name. He knew it was a childish thing to do, but things were getting annoying. Nico ended up at the beach, for some reason. He didn't realize how long he'd walked. Kicking his shoes off, Nico inhaled the salty air.

"There you are. I've been looking for you." Nico turned around and saw Rachel, carrying her sandals on her hand. Her hair was loose and it swayed around her face, due to the wind. "Why did you storm out like that, Nico?" Nico simply shrugged. "Tell me."

"Got tired of people judging me, I guess," Nico said, squeezing the sand with his toes. Rachel stood beside him, not saying a word. She simply grabbed Nico's hand and rested her head against his shoulder. They both gazed at the horizon for a little while.

"They do that to me too. Every time. I just ignore them," Rachel said, her voice barely a whisper.

"They're fucking stupid."

"Tell me about it. It doesn't matter, really. I've learnt to deal with it. I'm sorry I dragged you with me. I know you're having an awful time." Nico cupped Rachel's face with his hands, and pressed his forehead against hers.

"Don't be silly, Rach." Nico leaned in and gave Rachel a quick and tender kiss. She smiled slightly and blushed, making her freckles stand out even more. "Let's ditch this, shall we?" Nico said. Rachel nods. Hand in hand, they walked away, splashing their feet on the water. 


	3. Birthday

_**Birthday**_

_**

* * *

**_

Chaotic. That's the word that everyone would've chosen to describe Camp Half-Blood at a time like this. Wherever you looked, you could find demigods running around in a rampage, with Nico at the lead. The occasion? Rachel Elizabeth Dare's birthday. Nico was going nuts, attempting to organize everything.

"I suck at this. Truly. Who in his right mind would let me organize an event?" Nico said, pacing around Cabin Three. Percy shook his head at the younger teen and laughed. Seeing Nico anxious was really funny. To him, at least.

"Calm down, zombie boy." Percy laughed again. "Everything will be fine. Look, the Demeter kids are almost done with the cake. The music is taken care of, thanks to the Apollo campers. The rest of us are helping with the snacks and decoration." Nico nodded, still tense. "Relax," Percy said.

"Sure. Relax. M'on it."

"You're not going to relax, are you?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope," Nico said, popping the p. He shrugged and continued pacing around the room. Percy rolled his eyes. He was about to say something but was interrupted by the sound of someone knocking on the door. Percy opened the door and saw Zooey, one of the daughters of Aphrodite.

"Heya," She said. "Um, just here to tell Nico that," Zooey looked over Percy's shoulder and saw Nico pacing nervously. She chuckled a bit. "To tell Nico that the decoration is ready and that Brit has Rachel's gift ready and wrapped."

"I'll give Nico the message. As you can see, he's a bit out of it right now." Both Zooey and Percy laughed. With a wave, she walked back to help the rest of the demigods.

"Seriously Nico, I don't get why you're so worried. Everything's going smoothly!" Nico gave him a glare. "What? It is!"

"If it was you, you'd be as anxious as I am," Nico said.

"If it was me, I would've probably forgotten." Percy shoved Nico. "I don't have that problem anymore, though."

"Shame. I thought you two were going to last," Nico said, shrugging.

"Liar." Percy tried not to smile. "You just wanted Annabeth for yourself." Nico shook his head furiously.

"No, no. Keep her," Nico said, laughing. Somehow, he didn't feel as distressed as he did before. Percy rolled his eyes again. "C'mon, let's go to the Big House. I want to make sure everything is going well."

"Nico, you're sounding like such a girl."

"Hush, hush." Nico smiled and walked with Percy to the Big House.

* * *

Chaos. The Big House was a mess. Nico expected to see all of the decoration hanging, music playing and all of the snacks in their places. Instead, the Stolls were eating potato chips and flinging some at Clarisse, who was arguing with some Apollo kids about the music. Percy glanced at Nico, expecting him to throw a fit or something. Instead, Nico sat on a chair and buried his face in his hands.

"Uh, Percy?" Percy turned around and saw Zooey.

"Not now, Zooey. Nico's a bit…well, look at him," Percy said.

"No, you don't get it. It's important."

"What?" Nico said, looking up at Zooey. She looked terrified. "Why the face? I don't bite. Often."

"Rachel's here," Zooey said, backing away slowly from Nico and Percy. Nico blinked several times before burying his head in his hands again. "Sorry…" Zooey went back to her sisters and brothers, telling them to hang up the decoration.

"Percy, go stop Rachel." Nico stood up from his chair.

"What?" Percy asked, confused.

"You heard me, go stop her. Distract her or something," Nico replied. "And the rest of you: DO YOUR WORK!" Nico started pacing around frantically. People actually flinched when he walked past them. It was a funny sight. "Percy, are you waiting for an invitation or? Go!" Percy turned around and ran out of the Big House and towards the entrance.

* * *

Rachel was glad she was at camp. She was even happier today, because it was her birthday and she couldn't wait to see Nico. She saw someone run in her direction, so she smiled widely. Her smile fell a little when she saw it was Percy instead of Nico, but she was happy nonetheless.

"Rachel!" Percy ran and hugged Rachel, spinning her around. "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks, Perce!" She smiled at him. "Help me with these?" She said, pointing at her luggage. Percy nodded and took Rachel's bags with him.

"Oh Rach, fancy a tour of camp? We can see the strawberry fields!" Percy said, attempting to distract Rachel.

"Percy. I've been living here for several years now. I think I know camp quite well," She said, shaking her head at the boy. She walked past him and towards the big house. Percy kept getting in her way, which started to annoy Rachel.

"Perce. Stop it."

"Sorry Rach, but you can't go to the Big House just yet," Percy said, frowning.

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because?"

"Because you can't!" Percy grabbed Rachel's shoulders. "Please?"

"Percy, move," Rachel said. They were by the Big House's porch. She was about to walk up to the door when she heard screaming. She also heard the sound of couches being moved around. Rachel look at Percy, but he just shook his head and shrugged.

"_No, stop playing Paramore, I hate Paramore! – WATCH WHERE YOU HANG THOSE! – Stop eating the damn food, Stoll! Both of you! – No, Katie, those are fine! -" _Rachel recognized Nico's voice. She smiled and put her hand on the handle, about to open the door.

"_NO NO NO NO, NICO BE CAREFUL WITH THE-"_ Splat. Rachel opened the door.

"Surprise!" Everyone yelled, throwing confetti at Rachel. She smiled, but she wasn't looking at them. Her eyes were focused on Nico, who was lying on the floor and covered in cake. He smiled apologetically at her,

"Hey Ray," He said. "Cake?"

"You look like a cupcake. All covered in icing and such," Rachel said, cleaning Nico's face.

"Happy birthday."

"Thank you. Dance with me?" She said, helping him get up.

"But I'm all covered in cake. And the floor is slippery."

"Excuses," Rachel smiles. She hugs him tight, covering herself in cake and icing as well. "You didn't need to do all of this, Nico."

"Yes I did. You're my girl," Nico said, winking at Rachel and making her blush a little.

"I love you, thing," Rachel said.

"I love you too."

* * *

**:3**


End file.
